Tools and Materials
275
Countertops for Kitchens and Baths 371
Rough-in Wiring
285
Kitchen Sinks
376
Wiring Receptacles
299
Bathroom Planning
380
Wiring Switches
304
Fixture Wiring
309
chapter 14:
Portfolio of Wiring Schematics
313
EnergyConservation
andAirQuality
384
chapter 12:
A Nine-Step Energy Retrofit
385
Plumbing
316
Getting an Energy Audit
387
An Overview of Plumbing Systems 316
Air-Sealing
391
Planning
319
Increasing Controlled Ventilation
400
Tools
322
Controlling Moisture and Mold
403
Copper Water-Supply Pipe
324
Choosing Insulation Wisely
405
PEX Supply Pipes
328
Installing Insulation
411
Galvanized Steel Pipe
330
CPVC Supply
330
chapter 15:
DWV Materials
330
FinishSurfaces
420
Venting Options
334
Drywall
420
Roughing-in DWV Pipes
338
Plastering
441
Roughing-in Supply Pipes
344
Soundproofing
445
Installing Fixtures
345
Replacing a Water Heater
351
Installing a Tankless Water Heater
353
chapter 16:
chapter 18:
Tiling
450
Painting
504
Choosing Tile
450
Essential Prep Work
504
Tools
452
Choosing Paint
504
Materials
455
Tools and Equipment
506
Getting Ready to Tile
459
Painting Basics
510
Installing Setting Beds
462
Spray Painting
512
Tile Estimation and Layout
466
Lead-Paint Safety
514
Tiling a Floor
468
Painting the Interior
517
Countertops
471
Stripping and Refinishing
Tub Surround
474
Interior Trim and Wood Paneling
524
Painting the Exterior
529
chapter 17:
FinishCarpentry
478
chapter 19:
Wallpapering
536
Tools
478
Materials
482
Selecting Materials
536
Basic Skills
485
Ordering Wallcovering
539
Casing a Door
489
Equipment
541
Casing a Window
494
Preparing Surfaces
542
Baseboard and Crown Molding
496
Laying Out the Work
547
Basic Papering Techniques
547
Complex and Special-Care Areas
552
chapter 20:
Flooring
556
Flooring Choices
557
Refinishing Wood Floors
561
Installing Strip Flooring
571
“Floating” an Engineered
Wood Floor
576
Resilient Flooring
580
Wall-to-Wall Carpeting
584
glossary of building terms
593
index
601
credits
614
Introduction
I have been wrItIng Or revIsIng this book through tionality, conserve resources, and create comfortable homes that
four decades. I started the first edition in 1978, when
can accommodate the inevitable changes that life brings.
Jimmy Carter was president and most computers were the
As in earlier editions, Renovation draws on innumerable con-
size of closets. After gutting and rebuilding Renovation in
versations with carpenters, electricians, engineers, plumbers,
2005, I was sure the third edition would stand forever, but the
painters, masons, architects, and other building professionals. All
upheaval in housing in the last decade convinced me otherwise.
told, the photos in this book were drawn from roughly 30,000
More than ever, we need to plan carefully, spend wisely, and
taken over the years, mostly on job sites across North America.
build durably. So this fourth edition has been revised to help
That last point—“on job sites”—is what distinguishes this book
builders and homeowners add value, maximize space and func-
from others in the field, and it’s what should prove most useful to
you when you’re in the thick of a renovation. Renovation tells you
which sawblade to use, the size and spacing of nails, when to tear
out and when to make do, and how to lay out and prep a job so it
goes smoothly. Because this book contains thousands of tips and
techniques from contractors who had schedules and budgets to
meet, it also will save you time and money. In other words, the
methods in this book are field-tested. Supported by lifetimes of
practical experience, you can proceed confidently.
This book is as much concerned with what and why as it is with
how. Thus, for every topic—from foundations to finish flooring—
you’ll find the tools and materials you’ll need, the problems you
may encounter, and workable solutions to see you through.
Because the information in each chapter follows the sequence of
an actual renovation, you’ll know what to anticipate at every stage.
Equally important, Renovation’s often-ingenious solutions will
help you deal with the unexpected situations that are a part of
every renovation.
PLAYITsafe
Please heed all safety warnings: They are there for your protection. The publisher and I have made every effort to describe safe construction procedures in a clear and straightforward
manner. But because of the differences in skill and experience
of each reader and because of variations in materials, site
con ditions, and the like, neither I nor the publisher can assume
respon sibility for results with particular projects.
4
HowtoUseThisBook
Read the opening remarks in a chapter before reading up on spe-
cific tasks. That is, the information in each chapter tends to be
cumulative. The first few paragraphs often introduce important
terms and concepts. Thereafter, you’ll fin
d tools and techniques
presented more or less chronologically, in the order you’d need
them in a renovation.
Although new terms are defined early in each chapter and later
in context, you may come across terms whose definitions you
skipped earlier. If you need a definition, consult the glossary or
the index.
An in-depth review of tools and materials is beyond the scope
of this book. If you want more information on either, consider
browsing the Internet. Although I do mention specific brand
names and occasional Internet addresses, consider them reference
points for research and not product endorsements. Most of the
brand names are those I encountered on job sites or were praised
by a builder whose opinions I value.
Maybe it’s always been so, but research has become a big part
of renovation. So supplement your reading and Internet searches
by talking to neighbors, local contractors, and building-material
suppliers. Experience is always the best teacher—even if it’s some-
one else’s experience. A friend or neighbor who’s been through a
renovation may be able to recommend reliable builders and sup-
pliers and may also be a calm voice when you need one most. So
go to it. As Aristotle once said (though not to me directly),
“Courage is first among human virtues, for without it, we’re
unlikely to practice many of the others.”
introduction
5
1 Reading a House
With a little practice, you can train
your eye to see both a house’s
potential and its pitfalls.
6
Finding a Home with
a Future
None of us has a crystal bal . But we can anticipate and, to some
When evaluating a house’s potential, consider all of its
degree, plan for a number of life changes. Your home should be flexi-
assets, even those that need a lot of work because they
ble enough to accommodate them. If, for example, you’re in your 30s
may be diamonds in the rough. Here, a dilapidated garage
became an elegant guest bedroom suite.
and plan to have kids, the house should have enough rooms—or a
large enough lot for an addition. If you long to work at home, is there
a garage you can convert into an office? For folks in their 50s, the
future may entail kids leaving home soon, caring for an elderly parent,
or planning for a more secure retirement.
Scenarios can get quite specific: If an adult child returns home,
will you need to add soundproofing and a separate entrance? Would
a flight of stairs be problematic for an elderly parent? Is there
enough room to create an in-law unit to rent out—or for you to
move into? Choose a home carefully because you may live in it a
long time.
Staying put and planning for the future is a big departure from the
frothy years of the housing bubble. But living within your means, con-
serving resources, and valuing family, friends, and neighbors can also
be part of a rich life.
Every house has stories to tell. If you know from buying. Or, if you decide to buy, those prob-
where to look, you can see how skillfully the
lems may give you leverage in negotiating a lower
house was built or remodeled, how well it has
price. Remember, most aspects of purchase
weathered the elements, and how carefully its
agreements are negotiable. If you’re a remodeling
owners have taken care of it.
contractor, this chapter may be helpful in assess-
This chapter explains how to read a house’s
ing systems you are less familiar with, and subse-
sometimes subtle history, how to spot problems,
quent chapters will specify techniques and mate-
and how to determine what caused them.
rials that can make your renovation projects
Whether you’re a homeowner, a house shopper,
more time- and cost-effective.
or a renovation contractor, look closely and
Finally, think of this chapter as a gateway to
search for patterns. You may be surprised to dis-
solutions throughout the book. Many of the
cover how many areas need attention, whether
problems described in this chapter are followed
for safety, updating, appearance, or preventive
by page numbers or chapter numbers directing
maintenance. A careful inspection can be your
you to further explanations or possible solutions.
guide to future renovations.
If you don’t find specific cross-references to top-
If you’re house shopping, your inspection may ics you’d like to learn more about, consult the
reveal conditions serious enough to dissuade you book’s index.
Reading a House
7
zzzzzz Building Terms
STRUCTURAL
EXTERIOR
Mortar
Ridgeboard
chimney cap
Mortar chimney cap
Rafter
Ridge
Flashing
Valley flashing
Dormer
Plumbing vent
Gable end
Louver
Gable
stud
Rake
Metal ice
border
Top
plates
Eaves
Stud
Building paper
Header
Clapboards
Fire-stop
Subflooring
Sheathing
Girder
Sole plate
Bracing
Corner board
Window
Mudsill
Joist
casing
Splashboard
Foundation
Gutter
Downspout
These drawings contain most
Splash block
of the building terms used in this chapter.
For additional terms, consult the index, the glossary,
and pertinent chapters.
TRaININg YouR eYe
However, if you’re house shopping, you’d want
to get a bid for replacing the roof. Because the
The house shown on p. 6 says much to a trained
old shingles are tired, reroofing would likely be
eye. Though nicely crafted, it’s showing its age.
expensive, given the complexity of the roof struc-
Despite the gleaming paint on the parts that can
ture and the likelihood of rot. Also, from the
be easily reached, the upper floors haven’t been
street, there’s no sign of gutters, so it would be
painted in 20 years or more, suggesting that
crucial to inspect the joists, the mudsills, and the
places you can’t see probably weren’t maintained
foundation itself for signs of water damage.
either. The fretwork above the porch is splinter-
Given the age of this house, the foundation
ing, and the green shingle demi-roof over the
probably isn’t reinforced with steel, and that,
living room window has worn through to the
coupled with poor drainage, could mean big-
wood shingles underneath. Chances are this
ticket repairs—possibly a new foundation. All i
n
small roof isn’t flashed where it abuts the siding,
all, though, this old house would be an exciting
so water may have gotten behind and soaked
prospect and is certainly worth a closer look.
the framing.
Still, it’s a charmer, and it’s got great bones.
gaTHeRINg INFoRmaTIoN
Skilled carpenters were needed to frame such a
complex roof, so there’s probably good work-
If you feel strongly about a house, start by asking
manship throughout the house, which is old
the real estate agent or owner for a recent termite
enough that its 2x4s are probably full-size 2x4s.
report and a disclosure statement, and read them
The walls are plumb; the roof ridge doesn’t sag;
closely. Most states require such disclosures from
and despite its weathered appearance, the siding owners; if you are working with an agent, such
is largely intact.
statements are probably mandatory. Disclosure
8
Chapter 1
statements describe (1) things not originally
built with a permit or not built according to
For Nesters:
code, (2) code violations recently observed by
an inspector, and (3) other conditions the home-
Keeping emotions in Check
owner knows need fixing. Armed with this infor-
mation, you can begin looking for unreported
When shopping for a house, it’s hard to keep emotions in check. unless you’re
problems, which always exist.
buying a property solely as an investment, you’re probably looking for a nest. If
Because of competitive bidding, buying a
you’re like most of us, you’ll imagine yourself living there, surrounded by friends and
house can be nerve-wracking. But you can reduce
family. Those warm feelings are all understandably human but probably not the best
some of the pressure by making your own pre-
frame of mind for making one of the biggest financial decisions of your life. By all
liminary inspection. This will enable you to delay
means, listen to your feelings; just don’t lead with them.
paying for a professional inspector until you’re
Look at a lot of houses. Read this chapter to get an overview of house systems
sure it’s a house you should seriously consider.
and learn building lingo. Then scrutinize every house you enter—whether it’s for sale
You’ll be able to red-flag special concerns for the
or not. Be cold-eyed: Look beyond the lace curtains and the fresh paint. Look for
inspector. And, as a bonus, after conducting your
problems and try to figure out what’s causing them. Then, when you begin shopping
own inspection, you’ll better understand the
for real and find that certain place that wins your heart, you won’t lose your head.
Renovation 4th Edition Page 2